Loving God, you gather us together for worship and then you send us out in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Strengthen us in our faith this day, and help us to believe and trust in your promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

    Last week, the disciples were in the midst of grief and loss, and instructions were being given to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary just one step at a time.  However, this week, the disciples are asked to do something really big!  “Go...and make disciples of all nations...” (Mt. 28:19).  How is this even possible?  How on earth will Jesus’ disciples be able to do this?

    As far as the big picture goes, two things are mentioned in today’s reading that will be absolutely necessary.  The first is that Jesus actually has power and authority over all things.  It will be his power that will be at work if any hearts and lives are going to be changed. The second thing is the promise that Jesus gives to be with them always.  Nobody is sent out with only their own resources to rely on.  Jesus will be there, through the power of the Holy Spirit, guiding and teaching and supporting.

    However, there are some even more basic questions that we might want to be asking today.  For one thing, what exactly is a disciple?... How would you answer that question?... Are any of you disciples?...  Did you know that disciple actually means “learner”?  And so, if you are learning from Jesus, you are a disciple.

    Another question that we might want to ask is who, exactly, Jesus was commissioning.  Was it just the eleven disciples who were on the mountain with him?... [Why?]...  It does seem rather unlikely that just the eleven of them would be able to make disciples of all nations.  And so, does this commission include us?...  It would certainly seem so if we consider ourselves to be Christians!

    So how on earth do we do this?  How do you make disciples?... This past Wednesday we threw around some ideas at our noon hour Bible conversations.  It didn’t seem as though preaching to people was likely to work.  Forcibly baptizing people didn’t seem like a very good idea.  Dragging somebody to church who doesn’t want to be there didn’t seem like it would help much.  The one thing that we could identify that would be really important is the kind of example that we set with our lives.

    I recently came across a prayer that asks that others would be able to see Christ in me and through me, and thus would meet Jesus.  To me, this is the best kind of witness that any of us can give – living in such a way that others meet Jesus through us.  At the same time, though, sometimes there might be opportunities in conversations with friends or family to share what God has been doing in our lives.  There might also be opportunities to extend an invitation - whether to come to worship or to come to Sunday school or to come to youth group or to come to a special event.

    There is no question that in Canada many people have become quite jaded and have either had bad experiences with the church or simply tune out anybody who starts to talk about Jesus.  However, Jesus is still the one with the power to change hearts and lives.  Our job is to extend invitations when we can, and to live in such a way that others will meet Jesus through us. It is only the Holy Spirit who can change people’s hearts, and so that part is God’s job!

    Now, just in case you’re doubtful that you have the ability to do any of this, Matthew includes a wonderful detail in today’s gospel.  The disciples arrive at the mountain in Galilee, see Jesus there, and worship him - “but some doubted” (Mt. 28:17).  Isn’t that wonderful?  Some of them had doubts, and Jesus sends them out anyway!  You don’t have to have every detail all worked out and every question answered.  You don’t have to be a Bible expert or have your seminary training.  We are invited to obey Jesus even in the midst of our doubts.  That is what it means to be faithful.

    At the same time, Jesus’ promise to be with us applies to every command that is given in this gospel.  We don’t do it alone.  We go out in the power of the Holy Spirit and accompanied by Jesus.  And so, as we think about each of the actions that Jesus commands, Christ is with us.  Go.  Make disciples.  Baptize.  Teach.

    Go, because they’re not all going to come to you.  Make disciples, because all of us need to keep on learning from Jesus.  Baptize, because that is how God’s promise of resurrection and eternal life is given to each one of us.  Baptize, because Jesus has commanded it.  Baptize, because it is a visible sign of being washed clean and raised to new life.  And finally, teach.  Teach, because we don’t just automatically learn how to follow Jesus after baptism.  Teach, because it’s part of making disciples.  Teach, because if we’re actually going to obey Jesus’ commands, we all need help.

    Did you notice, though, that the command to teach does not say, “Make sure everybody learns all the right doctrine and can explain the Trinity and have memorized the Catechism and can explain exactly what we believe about Baptism and Communion.”  Instead, the focus is on learning how to live as followers of Jesus – on obeying everything that Jesus has commanded.

    The best illustration I can think of for this is the song They’ll Know We are Christians by our Love.  Love God with all your heart and soul and mind.  Love your neighbour as yourself.  Love one another as I have loved you.  These are the commands of Jesus, and we are reminded in the gospels that this is how those who believe in Jesus will be identified - by the love that they have for one another - and not just for one another, but for all nations!

    There is no doubt that there are some scary aspects of today’s gospel.  However, Jesus continues to work through his followers and through his body, the church.  As long as we are relying on his presence and his power and his guidance, there is no need to fear.  And keep in front of you Jesus’ last and best promise: “Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt. 28:20).  Amen.

Easter 2 (NL 1)                                Matthew 28:16-20
April 12, 2015
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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